It's been a time

 It's been a time.

Has the time been a year? Longer? How far back do we go?

It's been a year. 

One year ago, I left the community I had been a part of for 18 years - a school where my three children attended and grew. A community rich with friendship and experiences. 

One year ago, my first child graduated high school and we prepared for him to go to college.

One year ago, I was caring for my dear friend who was dying of brain cancer. I was caretaking every Friday and bringing lunch - often burrito bowls - and wheeling her around. I was visiting at night if her family was out. I was loving on her deeply as I walked her home.

One year ago, I accepted the job of Supervisor of Health & Wellness at Nowell Academy - a huge change in many ways.

One year ago, I started my TESOL program at Roger Williams University to support MLL students at Nowell. 

One year ago I was filled with excitement, curiosity, and anxiety.  I was equally preparing for loss and growth.

It's been a year.

Sleep!! Take 2

I had my second visit with the sleep expert! This meeting was virtual and focused on education: Sleep education. We talked about how the body makes wakefulness and then the system shuts down at night. We build up sleep drive / sleep pressure thought out the day and need enough to fall and maintain sleep.  Understandably, we have more sleep drive in the first half of the night  - which means waking in the early morning we might find it harder to fall back asleep because we have less sleep drive.

Our sleep continues in 60-90 minute cycles throughout the night. 

Typically we'll have four to five cycles each night. 

Next step is to fill out sleep charts - or grab an app to record sleep data.

Sleep is the process through which our brains and bodies restore their efficient function- ing. Contrary to common belief, sleep is not just the absence of wakefulness. It is an active process that has its own distinctive characteristics and structure.

Sleeping is a period of rhythmic and substantial brain and body activity.

On falling to sleep there is a rapid descent from lighter stages of sleep, called non-rapid-eye-movement (non-REM) Stages 1 and 2 (N1 and N2) to the deepest stages of sleep, called non-REM 3 (N3).

Stage N3 is difficult to wake from. When you do awaken from N3, you may feel disoriented or confused. 

StageN3 is important for: Growth and repair and immune system functioning / Helping to retain long-term information and memories / Balancing out the body’s hormones that make you hungry and affect your weight

StageN2 sleep is a lighter stage of sleep that: Prepares the brain for next-day learning / Helps to build and maintain muscle memory, involved in playing sports or other physical activities / Helps us integrate new information into existing memories

• Melatonin can be released only at night. It can’t be released during the day even if it is dark!

• That means we can be awake way past a reasonable time if we are in the light, and our melatonin cannot kick in to help us fall asleep.

  Light and Dark

  Periods of light and dark at the right times are the most important signals to our biological clock. We need light at the same time each morning to help set our biological clock.

  On the other hand, the following technologies at night are associated with light at the wrong time of day. These tell the brain that it is time to be awake, and do not promote sleepi- ness; instead they keep you up (not just because they are engaging, but also because they emit light!):

• TV

• Cellphones

• Textmessages

• Internet/Facebook/Twitter

Sleep!!

This past year brought increasing anxiety and as a result, unwanted sleep issues. Prior to 2020, I often struggled to fall asleep, but I managed that with herbs and essential oils, meditations, and calming music. The new dilemma has been staying asleep - and getting at least 6 hours per night of rest.  My body started waking around 3am during this school year; and things haven't changed even though my schedule has. So, I reached out to an expert!  I'm all about doing the work to improve conditions. 😀 I want to share what I've taken away from my first two conversations with a sleep therapist.

1. The bed needs to be a place for sleep  Since the pandemic and teaching online, my bedroom has become my office, my classroom, sometimes my cafeteria or lounge. I read, complete workshops, plan curriculum, run classes, meet with pregnancy and new moms groups, correct papers...on my bed. #officespaceneeded
2. Cover the clocks. We don't need to constantly be thinking about the time, how much sleep we're getting or not. The mind doesn't need to be counting and assessing the minutes.
3. Don't get in bed until you're tired and ready to sleep. Note: it takes people on average a half hour to fall asleep. Don't get in bed too early.
4. Set an alarm. Even as you sleep, your brain is working - just like how your body knows to breathe. Let your brain relax knowing there's an alarm set and it need not be responsible for waking you.
5. Turn off the music and television. Did you know you're still listening as you sleep? Your brain is processing the sounds. If you like to fall asleep to songs or meditations or a program, set a timer for half an hour so it shuts off.
6. White noise is ok! If you need some background noise, keep it simple. A repetitive, constant sound is easy on the brain. Personally, I enjoy the sound of rain.

First week IN PERSON since Friday, March 13th, 2020

 

The first week of in-person school during the pandemic of 2020 is behind us. We can exhale a bit (at home with our masks off and a cocktail in hand). This week was ....challenging, but it was also exciting and fun! 

What worked well

First of all, we have amazing outdoor spaces!  With our slow start of only half the Navigator classes (about 30 kids in total; 10 from each class) we were able to play a whole group game outside!  Each pod was 14 feet apart from another pod and we made a giant outside circle!  It was awesome. We played the game where you write a word on a paper and stick it to one student's back and they ask 20 questions to figure it out. The students love this game. This big outdoor space AND the three outdoor shaded class areas are ALL OURS - just Navigators - and it's nestled back deep in campus past the soccer field.

I am also fortunate enough to be in a brand new barn for a school building! It's been completely renovated (understatement) and has all new HVAC system, windows in every classroom, lots of individual space, comfortable temperature...it's wonderful!

The third best thing about being back at Compass are the PEOPLE!!  It is glorious to see children on campus every day; it's delightful to connect with my colleagues each day. Most of all, it's incredible to be teaching in person, watching everybody working, building new relationships, and adapting to all the changes.

What was hard

The week was also really challenging.  Things you might think were the "hard parts" about teaching in a pandemic might include wearing the mask or distancing the students. I must share that we (staff and students) didn't struggle with those things too much.  Wearing the mask all day can be uncomfortable if it gets damp (carry an extra!), or if it's super hot outside (sweat!), or when trying to project your voice all day (I do have a voice amplifier!), but most of the time I honestly forget that my mask is there. However, when it comes to mask, shape and fit really matter.  Here I am sporting one of the masks my husband made for me:

I have tried loads of masks. Often I'm wearing one that is homemade (usually from my hubby or my daughter), but brands like jaanuu, pair of thieves, and stratton fashion have all been great! My biggest complaint about the mask was actually how it sort of discouraged me from drinking my water; I felt so dehydrated after day 1. So, on day two I told every class we'd begin with a check in: Do you need a mask break? And if so, please drink some water. I'm encouraging us to associate our mask break with a sip from our water bottle - seems like a healthy habit.

Following the gold standard of keeping students 6 feet apart was ok. Our classrooms are big and there's only 20 students max in each class. We have only two students in the 7th/8th grade that opted for virtual learning, but that is an option for everyone due to the pandemic. We also have that great outdoor space so it feels pretty comforting to be in fresh air.

I'd say one of the biggest challenges this week was the end-of-day defeat. It was exhausting. I am working full time this year and part of my role includes stepping in as a substitute when someone is out. Well, on September 17th our newly hired math teacher quit. So in-person this week, I covered all the math and all the Spanish classes - with no breaks til end of day Friday. I was spent. To be fair, the kids were spent too!  We've spent about six month hardly leaving the house at all, seeing very few people. Now we're together at school 8:15am until 3:30pm every day - big adjustment. It was both a blessing to my heart and sheer exhaustion for my brain and body.

It also felt like we were walking into walls every day: we updated everyone's chromebook with the new barn wifi yet the default is TCS and every day kids were freezing and struggling to problem solve, the tvs weren't working in our classrooms, we couldn't use cast for lessons, the printers and copy machine didn't work in the barn, there was no wifi in the outdoor classes, students forgot chrome books at home, chrome books broke, students were absent and information as to their health was unclear, there was no time to eat, there was no prep time, the chairs all roll...everywhere, our walkies didn't work, ..  

It was crazy.

I came home Friday around 4pm and filled the bath with epsom salts and lavender. I got in and cried for about 20 minutes before pulling my shit together. Week 1 is behind me. I'm ready for a new week. It has to be better; our new math teacher starts tomorrow!

First Day of School, 2020-2021

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL YEAR 20-21 = SUCCESS!

Despite the fact that we hoped to start school year IN PERSON, we had a great first day. Nearly all of our students made a virtual appearance; and we spent some time getting to know one another. We played a game where each student had a turn at the virtual spinning wheel and then was asked a question.

Students shared their responses and then chose the next person to respond. Everyone was able to participate and it was awesome to see students (most had cameras on) and hear their responses.  Of course there are challenges when starting the year virtually...I wondered:

Did all students have working wifi/internet? 

Were they able to access their student email? 

Did they see anyone familiar in their advisory? 

Were they anxious or feeling comfortable with sharing on screen?

Our hope is that we are virtual just for the first week while the finishing touches are secured in our new barn space. As you can see, it's coming along.  By the end of this week, we're hoping for the certificate of occupancy so we can be on campus!

What were some of the challenges of today? 

*Not everyone has a good connection. Some individuals freeze or get kicked off - which isn't terrible if they can log back on, but it's painful if it happens repeatedly and they aren't able to feel connected to the group.

*Even teachers can lose connection.  We had two staff members in each advisory; this is particularly helpful is one has a weak connection, but also fun for staff to get to know each other and the students together.

*New students might be a bit quieter as they don't know the community yet. The welcome might feel warmer in person, BUT we didn't have to wear masks online so you could definitely see the SMILES.

*It was a slow start because all of the staff hasn't had a chance to meet all of the students yet. We can't give work to classes we haven't connected with.  I don't think students were disappointed with a light load, but I did hear one student say, "My mom is upset I don't have more work to do." I can understand that parents are ready for someone else to keep their kids busy.  It was a long 6 months at home for some families.

What were some of the successes of today? 

*Almost perfect attendance. It was delightful to see so many students in our google meets.

*We smiled! We laughed! We played games!

*We established some norms for virtual learning, clarified the schedule for the week, and students joined their google classrooms.

*We answered questions about what in-person learning will be like. Students wondered about masks and breaks and distances and recess.  It might be helpful to have some of those answers before we're in person.

I can't wait to see what the rest of the week will bring...and really hope we're on campus next week! 

First day back for staff

I thought I'd share a picture of myself on my first day back at work for the 2020-2021 school year!  I had a wonderful day.  It was so great to see all of our staff in person (although the full staff meetings are still virtual - our director will not have us all gathered in one room).  We got to check out the progress on the Barn, imagine how we'll utilize our outdoor classrooms (each covered by tents or shade sails), establish some new routines, and begin planning the first days back with students.  

I've been back on campus a few times...and each time my heart is happy!  The Compass School has always been a place of joy; and even while wearing masks, I can see each teacher smiling and feel the warmth of their kindness.  I feel so safe on campus. Everyone is following all safety precautions and it'll be safer than any beach, shopping excursion, or play date! I trust our school and staff (not to mention viral counts for sending districts are SO low).

While the teachers meet and plan, I just keep thinking about the students.  I am looking forward to their return!  We are planning a slow re-entry: half of the students will arrive on Monday and half on Tuesday...giving us time to teach all the new routines with ease.  In addition to the pandemic curbing our style a bit, we expanded the middle school and moved into a new building.  Oh, and we have some new staff on our team as well.  Lots of things look different, but today I can't help thinking:

Things will look different, but different can be ok!

My daughter had track today (town rec program). They too did it differently, and it was a success! The kids walked to the lawn wearing masks, stood on place markers 6 feet apart, and kept space while running and stretching. The biggest risk is being within 6 feet for 15 min or longer (droplet exposure) which can't happen while you're exercising.  To see the kiddos happily exercising together was a true joy.

There is no denying that we are in a pandemic. Activities don't look the same as they did before. We are taking so many precautions to stay covid-free (as a family, as a school, as a community) and you know what, I think it's working!  I'm so grateful for scientists and out-of-the-box thinkers who create new solutions (ie. teaching outside! plexiglass! stable pods! tag with pool noodles!) and I'm so grateful to reclaim social time with peers. My kids desperately need time with other kids. I long to be out of my house which has been both my safe haven and prison at the same time. There's no way to know what the future holds, but so far the outlook is bright!

Welcome Back!

Today, August 31st, 2020, was a much anticipated day for families and teachers in RI.  Governor Raimondo announced that all but 2 districts in RI (Providence and Central Falls) were ready to re-open for students as of September 14th.  For me, this means as of Thursday, September 3, I am working full time for The Compass School. 

What will things be like? 

I will be using this platform to share my experiences as a teacher and a mom of three during this crazy time.  I will share what this all looks like through my own eyes, but also through the lens of my children and community. Recording and reflecting might allow for common concerns and/or solutions to arise. May we share in opportunities to learn and grow!

What new safety measures are put in place to keep our community safe?

I'm feeling really ready to go back to our school this week! 

TCS (how I will now refer to The Compass School) is truly set up for success. Honestly, i  f anyone can pull it off safely, it's Compass!  Let me tell you why...

First of all, TCS met all of the criteria set out by Governor Raimondo:

Second, TCS has a solid re-opening plan. Our staff has continuously worked to make our school as safe as possible; and our director is out-of-this-world amazing.  She predicts and prepares and we all move forward together. 

A couple of things worthy of note:

• Students will be in stable pods of 20 
• Teachers will rotate to students
• Every class will have it's own outdoor classroom space - also used for lunch - we have 27 acres!
• Students will be spaced 6 feet apart, facing one direction
• Students have assigned bathrooms
• Students will not share materials (including desks, pencils, etc)
• Masks will be worn except during lunch and mask breaks (both preferably outside)
• New cleaning protocol is in place
• Students will monitor health daily
• There will be a clinic area staffed by a nurse every day

Third, we are a tiny community (already capped at 20 students per class). When I look at the list of viral cases in RI, it is pretty clear the risk is really low for Washington County - where our school resides.  This is great news: the majority of our students come from towns lowest on the list of confirmed cases!

Forth, we already teach outside! We have a farm! We have animals and plants and gardens and a green house and a silo even!  We have outdoor basketball and volleyball, trees to climb, a vernal pond, a soccer field area, trails, and more!  We are set up for some real learning and play...outside!

Fifth, we got STUFF!  Our director was quick in ordering because she had a hunch we'd be ready for in-person learning this Fall. She has sun shades and tents, voice amplifiers for teachers, extra cleaning supplies and cleaning staff, ... Basically, we have what we need to be successful.

My thought is: kids are resilient.  

And, not for nothing, so are teachers!

It's going to mean so much to see friends, to learn from teachers, to eat lunch together and play outside. Yes, it will look different. They'll be spread apart more and wearing masks. Will they know if others are laughing? YES! Will they be learning? YES! We are all going to move forward...whether in person or distance learning or a hybrid of both.  I'm grateful to reclaim a bit of normalcy. I can't wait to get the classrooms ready (oh, by the way, we have a brand NEW, well-ventilated new building for grades 3-8) and welcome back all the students! #wevegotthis!

Note, I am also grateful that families in RI are guaranteed a free distance learning option. While it’s not ideal, some schools may not be able to offer a safe, regulation-compliant learning environment. I understand my situation is special and I hope it is an example of what can work!